www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The National Telecommunications Commission, NTC, is likely to announce the terms for the auction of 3G licences next month. Gen Choochart Promprasit, the NTC chairman, said the auction for 3G licences on the 2.1GHz spectrum should happen this year, allowing the regulator to issue licences in early 2010.
He further said that by September, terms and guidelines for the auction could be announced on the NTC’s website, allowing enough time to the operators to prepare bids.
While the operators, hit by the weak economy have lowered their investment plans until NTC announces details for the 3G auction.
On 08.31.09, In Mobile, By Editor
On 07.24.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), Phillipine’s telecoms regulator, has published new rules calling mobile operators to replace per-minute charging for calls with a new metering rate of per-six seconds. Presently, telcos are allowed to charge PHP8 per pulse (i.e. 60 seconds), but as per the memorandum signed, the NTC ordered the rate to be adjusted to 10% of the current charging time.
NTC commissioner Ruel Canobas said that the move will cut call charges to the benefit of end users. The nation’s cellcos have been given four months to implement the new rates because the companies have to make some changes to their systems, Canobas added. They now have 30 days to submit their revised charging rates based on a six-second per pulse charge. However, the memorandum does not rule out the use of per-minute billing entirely, and customers can opt to for such a way of paying, or indeed sign up to ‘unlimited’ services instead. International calls are not covered by the regulation, the NTC said.
On 07.17.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has reportedly given consent over the regulations for introducing mobile number portability (MNP) in the country, which will take effect in August.
Mobile operators must comply with customer requests to move their existing number to another network within three months of the regulation’s publication, said NTC commissioner Sudharm Yoonaidharma, whereas the fee for porting a number must not exceed the retail cost of a pre-paid SIM card (which can be bought for as low as THB50 [USD1.50]), although whether any such charge would actually be levied is dependent on an agreement between operators which will be submitted to the NTC for its consideration, he added.
As it was earlier reported, Thailand’s cellcos said that it was impossible to implement MNP in three months, citing market leader AIS that necessary preparations could take anything up to year .
On 07.15.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Globe Telecom has requested the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), to delay the proposed introduction of per-second billing for mobile calls to give it more time to recalibrate and recalculate its tariffs. Globe’s Head for regulatory affairs Ma. Caridad Gonzalez reportedly said, ‘To this extent, Globe requests the NTC to hold the issuance of the subject draft guidelines until fair and reasonable per-pulse rate can be determined.’
On 07.14.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: According to a media report, a court in Manila has granted Trans Digital Excel Inc’s request for a temporary injunction against the regulator the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). The court said the technical studies and expert opinion presented by Trans Digital adequately demonstrated the group’s assertion that the frequencies would cause signal inference to Extelcom’s cellular telephone operations in its assigned 1720MHz-1725MHz and 1815MHz-1820MHz bands.
The court further adds that the interference generated by the reallocation and use of the idle frequencies for broadband services would render Extelcom’s 1720MHz-1726MHz, 1815MHz-1820MHz band virtually useless. This will only result in preventing the re-launch of services under Extelcom’s rehabilitation, the court said.
On 07.08.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Thailand’s private mobile operators have reportedly warned that it will be impossible to implement mobile number portability (MNP) in the three-month period proposed by the regulator, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
Tore Johnsen, CEO of Digital Total Access Communication (DTAC), said it was impossible to upgrade network and customer support systems, establish a clearinghouse, test all systems and carry out staff training in the given timeframe.
Wichian Mektrakarn, President of Advanced Info Service (AIS), said that at least ten months was needed to buy the relevant equipment and upgrade the network software, and added that it would be preferable for the NTC to use a previous MNP regulatory draft, which gave cellular operators a year to complete the implementation. AIS is anticipated to spend USD10 million on the equipment and software upgrade, with additional investment going towards the central clearinghouse.
On 06.05.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: AIS, the Thai mobile operator has halted its expansion plans for 3G network as it awaits official licensing. To avoid congestion on the network, AIS has stopped the expansion of its 3G network and will wait for the NTC to issue 3G licences in the 2.1GHz band. In 2008, AIS had launched its 3G services and at present has 83 3G base stations in Chiang Mai, 22 in Chon Buri and 2 in Bangkok. The operator has made an investment of THB 60 million in the 3G network.
The issuance of 3G licence is due this year.
On 06.01.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Azercell Telecom Azerbaijani mobile operator has added Israel’s Pelephone and Russia’s Tele2 operators to its GPRS/MMS roaming service. This is third roaming agreement with Israel and the fifth one with Russia. Currently, Azercell subscribers benefit from the services of Partner and Celcom operators of Israel and Megafon, VimpelCom, MTS and NTC operators of Russia. Azercell Telecom has signed the GPRS/MMS roaming agreement with 180 network operators from 74 countries around the world.
On 05.01.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Express Telecom, the Filipino wireless service provider, has been awarded additional frequency by NTC, the national regulator, enabling it to re-introduce its services in the domestic mobile market.
The director of the NTC’s common carrier authorisation division, Edgardo Cabarios, has recommended the operator’s plan to use its existing 880MHz-890MHz radio frequency allocation, alongside the newly assigned bandwidth in the 900MHz band, specifically 925MHz-935MHz.
The regulator had approved Express Telecom’s application in March. The operator has been asked to file for the necessary permit to buy equipment within 2 months from the date of the approval of its request.
Express Telecom has been granted additional frequency which the NTC believes is ‘more than sufficient to efficiently operate a 3G network’.